Biofeedback sensors provide information about physiological aspects of a person. In some biofeedback sessions, the client sits in a chair or lays on a couch or bed. Sensors are attached to the client's skin at various locations on the body, such as, for example, the shoulders, fingers, back, and head. Electrical signals or impulses from these locations are used to provide visual or auditory feedback reflecting various information. Other variations on biofeedback sessions are possible, with the above being an exemplary type of biofeedback session for background purposes.
Some biofeedback sensors are simple electrodes attached to the client using an adhesive tab with an electrical contact or electrode. These adhesive tabs are placed in the desired locations on the client with the electrode between the client's skin and the tab. The electrode sensors are good measures of electrical information, such as epidural skin response, which is a measure of skin resistance and useful for measuring stress or the like, the use of adhesives on the client can result in an unpleasant removal experience. Sometimes the simple electrode sensor is attached to a VELCRO strip and wrapped around an appendage, such as, for example, a finger.
Another type of biofeedback sensor is an infrared sensor. Infrared sensors generally are not used to determine skin electrical responses, but may be used to determine other biometric information, such as, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, or the like. Although infrared sensor can be place on the client using an adhesive tab, they are more typically located by locating the infrared sensor on the client, and wrapping tape, VELCRO® straps, an elastic bandage, or the like around the client and the sensor to locate the infrared sensor. Again, while the sensor is adequate for measuring the biometric information, using tape, VELCRO® straps or the like leaves much to be desired. Frequently, the attachment devices wear out requiring frequent replacement.
Some infrared sensors are loaded in clip style devices, such as, for example, an ear clip or a finger clip. While these clips work somewhat better than the attachment devices above, they are frequently bulky and not well suited for all individuals.
Thus, it would be desirous to develop and improved finger sensor to read biometric information.